The Rolling Stones have survived unthinkable tragedy and been through more challenging situations than almost any other group could imagine. While most acts would have buckled under an ounce of pressure they’ve faced over the years; The Stones have always found a miraculous way to carry on.
Despite now being in their autumnal years, The Rolling Stones show no signs of slowing down, as they proved on Hackney Diamonds. Not content with selling out stadiums worldwide and playing old hits, The Stones still have a burning passion for creating new material, which should inspire every other band.
At this stage in their career, they’re not making an album for a payday but because it’s all they know, and the recording process is necessary to their existence. Although only Mick Jagger, Keith Richards and Ronnie Wood are left, the trio still fly The Rolling Stones flag high and keep their legacy firmly intact.
For U2 frontman Bono, who is almost two decades younger than Jagger, seeing the frontman parade on stage with the energy of somebody half his age gives him the hope that his group will also have the same longevity.
In celebration of his 60th birthday in 2020, Bono shared an open letter to The Rolling Stones, explaining why he admired them so greatly, which was largely to do with how they pioneered the art form of stadium shows.
The Irishman wrote: “The Rolling Stones took stage performance in these mega shows to the next level. Mick Jagger has more front than Harrod’s. The best frontman there ever was. Mark Fisher sure helped, but it was your vision that made everyone else in the field/stadium have a better one. We used to go to concerts to listen, and just catch a glimpse of a lightshow if we were lucky.”
He continued: “Spending the night together got a lot better when The Rolling Stones blew up their blowup dolls, expanded their lip logo and stuck their tongue out at the world… you invented that kind of show and you have never been bettered.”
Concluding the message, Bono said: “That The Rolling Stones exist at all is one of the great encouragements for any teenager who wants to believe they don’t have to grow up ALL THE WAY.”
Elsewhere in his letter, Bono singled out their track ‘Ruby Tuesday’, released as a double A-side single with ‘Let’s Spend The Night Together’ in 1967, as his favourite from their collection. Notably, it gave The Rolling Stones their fourth number one in the United States and captured the band at the peak of their commercial power.
Bono noted of the release: “I love RUBY TUESDAY because it felt like a goodbye song and I’m always attracted to songs that find victory in defeat. Keith, I also like it when I hear your voice behind the words sometimes… your gentility is always a surprise to people who don’t know you.”
As Bono says in his message, ‘Ruby Tuesday’ is a goodbye song which Richards penned following the breakdown of his relationship with Linda Keith. However, although it’s a highly personal track fuelled by his broken heart, he made it have universal appeal and tell a story that every listener can relate to.
